Disk-type magnetic separator

ABSTRACT

A magnetic separator made up of a disk in the shape of a cone with a downwardly extending cylindrical skirt. A circular trough with a drain is supported below the skirt. A feed pipe is supported above the center of the disk and a conical boss extends up into the feed pipe to distribute the material over the top of the disk where it flows downward over the cone to the trough. Spaced arcuate magnets are supported above and below the disk so they distribute magnetic fields through the disk and attract magnetic as well as some non-magnetic material. In a second embodiment, radial magnets are supported above and below the disk. The invention disclosed herein concerns the creation of high gradient type magnetic fields and the ability to adjust these fields to best suit the magnetic materials to be separated.

United States Patent [191 Israelson et al.

[ Feb. 26, 1974 DISK-TYPE MAGNETIC SEPARATOR [73] Assignee: Eriez Manufacturing Company,

Erie, Pa.

[22] Filed: Apr. 28, 1971 [21] App]. No.: 138,341

Related US. Application Data [63] Continuation-impart of Ser. No. 762,845, Sept. 26,

1968, abandoned.

[52] US. Cl. 207/223, 209/232 [51] Int. Cl. B03c 1/08 [58] Field of Search... 209/223, 222, 219, 224, 232, 209/216 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 359,085 3/1887 Mansfield 209/222 455,984 7/1891 Fiske 209/223 A 832,825 10/1906 Wait 209/222 986,554 3/1911 Dings.. 209/222 1,024,045 4/1912 Weatherby 209/224 1,727,543 9/1929 Johnston). 209/224 2,372,321 3/1945 Griffiths 209/222 X 2,711,249 6/1955 Laurila 209/219 2,771,995 11/1956 Noel 209/224 X FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1 1,028 1/1902 Norway 209/222 237,150 7/1925 Great Britain.... 203,980 12/1958 Austria 209/222 Primary ExaminerRobert Halper [57] ABSTRACT A magnetic separator made'up of a disk in the shape of a cone with a downwardly extending cylindrical skirt. A circular trough with a drain is supported below the skirt. A feed pipe is supported above the center of the disk and a conical boss extends up into dial magnets are supported above and below the disk.

The invention disclosed herein concerns the creation of high gradient type magnetic fields and the ability to adjust these fields to best suit the magnetic materials .to be separated.

2 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures .Pmmsmm 3.794.153

' INVENTOR. ARLO F 'ISRAELSON JERzYA. BARTNIK BY I MXK DISK-TYPE MAGNETIC SEPARATOR REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This application is a continuation-in-part of US Pat. application, Ser. No. 762,845 now abandoned, filed Sept. 26, 1968.

REFERENCE TO PRIOR ART Many wet type magnetic separators have been designed and built for separation of magnetic from nonmagnetic materials in the mining industry; as well as in other industries. However, since each has been created to perform a specific function, one problem-common to all separators has been that of capacity. This, of course, relates directly to economics, sov there is a great need for a magnetic separator that can effectively separate large volumes of magnetic from non-magnetic materials at the lowest possible cost.

Another problem encountered in wet type magnetic separators is that they are limited'to specific sizes inthe particles that must be separated. Some separators will only perform well on. fine particles, while others are only designed to work on larger particles. 'lahere is a need for a magnetic separator that can separate bothv large and small particles fromlesser, or non-magnetic, materials.

Another desirable characteristic lacking in existing self-cleaning magnetic separators is the ability to separate both magnetic and non-magnetic particles from liquids for purposes of purification of the liquids and recovery of the solids for uses elsewhere. For example, recovery of metals and non-magnetic solids from quenching and flushing waters of steel mills wherein the metals can be remelted and the watercan be reused in the steel mill or discharged into public waters'without creating pollution problems.

Another desirable characteristic lacking in selfcleaning permanent magnetic separators is adjustability of the total magnetic strength to provide selectivity so that only magnetic materials with specific characteristics may be removed or recovered, while rejecting those materials with less desirable characteristics.

Another desirable characteristic lacking in selfcleaning permanent magnetic separators .is a provision for concentrating and shaping the magnetic fields to provide the ability to separate or recover weakly magnetic particles from non-magnetic particles.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION It is, accordingly, an object of the invention to provide a machine for separating magnetic from nonmagnetic materials at a lower cost than previous magnetic separators.

Another object of the invention is to provide a magnetic separator for separating large quantities of both large and small particles from lesser or non-magnetic I Still another object of the invention is to provide a magnetic separator that has a provision for concentrating and shaping its magnetic fields to recover or remove weakly magnetic particles from non-magnetic particles.

With the above and other objects in view, the present invention consists of the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that changes may be made in the form, size, proportions, and minor details of construction without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 illustrates a cross sectionalview of the improvedwet type permanent magnetic separator disclosed herein.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the disclosed magnetic separator showing the circular drain trough, the rotating non-magnetic disk, and dotted lines showing the lower magnets.

FIG. 3 illustrates another embodiment of the invention, showing an alternate arrangement of lower stationary magnets.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Now with more particular reference to the drawings, it will be observed that multiple circular permanent magnets 11' are arranged concentrically below the disk 12in rows as best shown in FIG. 2 and mounted in fixed positions below the disk, with adjustments to lower or elevate the magnets in relation to a rotatable nonmagnetic conical disk to adjust the space between the disk and the magnets. The sides of the cone form a cylindrical skirt 20 for conducting non-magnetic materials, not entrapped by the magnets, along with liquids 14, to the affixed circular trough 15 defined by sides 21 and 22and bottom 23 is provided with outlets 16 for drainage of non-magnetic particles. The magnetic par ticles are drained through drain 25 between partitions 26 and 27. The slope of the sides of the cone is by way of example. It could obviously be varied to accommodate various conditions of application.

The magnet polarities are alternate North and South in a direction away from the center of the disk 12 as shown in FIG. 2. There may be any number of curved magnets 11, but the purpose of multiple magnets is to trap any articles that may have passed the first magnet at such velocity that they were only partly deflected and to entrap magnetic particles that may be washed off from'the first magnet by subsequent material flows.

The magnetic fields extend through and above the upper surface of the conical disk, where they entrap or hold magnetic particles tightly against the surface of the rotating cone. The magnetic particles are carried by the disk to the space 17 between the ends of the magremove only the highly magnetic particles and discharge the non-magnetics and weakly magnetic particles. This adjustment provides infinite selectivity.

FIG. 1 also illustrates fixed multiple curved concentric magnets 16 suspended above the rotating non-- magnetic disk 12. The magnet polarities and alternate North and South in direction away from the center of the disk or cone. The magnets are positioned so that North or South pole is directly above like poles of the lower magnets. This results in a concentration of the magnetic field in the area on top of the disk. The upper magnets 16 are also adjustable perpendicularly to disk 12. By adjusting these upper magnets downwardly, the magnetic fields repel the like fields of the lower magnets, resulting in concentration of the magnetic flux at the surface of the rotating disk 12 and an increase in flux gradient, which is necessary for entrapment of weakly magnetic materials. The center distance between upper and lower magnets must be slightly greater than the depth of the liquid flowing on the rotating disk 12. This will result in all particles being attracted in the direction of the lower magnets 11.

It will be observed that the magnets 11 and 16 do not form a complete circle, but do terminate, leaving a non-magnetic area 17.

The non-magnetic area 17 is provided for removal of entrapped magnetic particles from the rotating nonmagnetic disk to the area 17 where the magnetic particles are washed or scraped by scraper 28 into a compartment in trough between partitions 26 and 27. The magnetic particles are scraped from the disk by the scraper 28 which is supported on the support for lower magnets 11 adjacent the end of the container for removal to other areas.

As mixtures of magnetic and non-magnetic particles flow over the magnets 11 illustrated in FIG. 2, and with the non-magnetic disk 12 rotating at a relatively high speed, the magnetic particles are widely dispersed with very little or no entrapment of any non-magnetic particles which are washed into the drain trough.

When the non-magnetic disk 12 is rotated at relatively low speeds, the magnetic particles have time to accumulate in ridges above the magnets, forming combined dams and filters that, in turn, trap the majority of non-magnetic materials, along with the magnetic materials.

With the arrangement of magnets shown in the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 3, magnets 111 are supported radially below the disk 112. The magnets 111 are mounted in the separator, otherwise. shown in FIG. 1. The magnetic particles are also attracted toward and held upon the upper surface of the non-magnetic rotating disk 112. The magnetic particles, while in the magnetic fields, arrange themselves into short strings or flocs and tend to form bridges between North and South magnetic poles of magnets 111, but as they are conveyed from pole to pole, the flocs change ends, similar to a paperclip rolling end over end. This agitation tends to free any entrapped nonmagnetic particles so they are easily washed in to the circular drain trough 15 and are drained, while the concentrated magnetic particles are conveyed circumferentially to the non-magnetic area where they can be washed or scraped from the non-magnetic rotating disk into the space between partitions 26 and 27. The magnetic particles drain out through drain 25.

The liquids and materials to be separated are fed to the center of the cone. The trough 15 has dividers 26 and 27 so arranged to prevent any flow of material int the non-magnetic area.

The magnetic separator disclosed herein is capable of processing large volumes of liquids and included'solids because of the circular configuration which permits distribution of the materials around the greater part of the outer periphery which distance is roughly three times the diameter. For example, a 10 foot diameter disk provides almost 30 lineal feet of separating surface, which can be manufactured at much less cost than five 6 foot wide conventional wet drum separators.

The foregoing specification sets forth the invention in its preferred practical forms but the structure shown is capable of modification within a range of equivalents without departing from the invention which is to be understood is broadly novel as is commensurate with the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A magnetic separator comprising a base,

a non-magnetic disk in the shape of an inverted cone rotatably supported on said base,

means to rotate said disk about its central axis,

a plurality of spaced permanent magnet members disposed below said disk in close proximity thereto and extending over a substantial portion of the bottom area of said disk,

said spaced permanent magnet members spaced from an area of said disk whereby said area of said disk is unaffected by said spaced permanent magnet members,

means to feed material containing magnetic and nonmagnetic components onto the center of the top of said disk,

and trough means at the periphery of said disk,

a first part of said trough being disposed radially outward from said magnetic member to receive said magnetic material,

and a second part of said trough being arranged to receive said non-magnetic material,

said permanent magnet members are annular in shape and each of the poles of each said magnet extends annularly around said disk over less than 360 degrees,

second spaced permanent magnet members are supported above said disk and spaced from said disk,

said second spaced permanent magnet members being disposed concentric to each other with unlike poles adjacent each other,

said second poles being supported in proximate spaced relation to said first mentioned spaced permanent magnet members,

and the poles of said second spaced permanent magnet members are disposed adjacent like poles of said first mentioned spaced permanent magnet members whereby the fields of said spaced permanent magnet members are repelled and the field of said magnets are concentrated adjacent said disk.

2. The magnetic separator recited in claim 1 wherein adjusting means is provided to move said space permanent magnet members toward and away from said disk. 

1. A magnetic separator comprising a base, a non-magnetic disk in the shape of an inverted cone rotatably supported on said base, means to rotate said disk about its central axis, a plurality of spaced permanent magnet members disposed below said disk in close proximity thereto and extending over a substantial portion of the bottom area of said disk, said spaced permanent magnet members spaced from an area of said disk whereby said area of said disk is unaffected by said spaced permanent magnet members, means to feed material containing magnetic and non-magnetic components onto the center of the top of said disk, and trough means at the periphery of said disk, a first part of said trough being disposed radially outward from said magnetic member to receive said magnetic material, and a second part of said trough being arranged to receive said non-magnetic material, said permanent magnet members are annular in shape and each of the poles of each said magnet extends annularly around said disk over less than 360 degrees, second spaced permanent magnet members are supported above said disk and spaced from said disk, said second spaced permanent magnet members being disposed concentric to each other with unlike poles adjacent each other, said second poles being supported in proximate spaced relation to said first mentioned spaced permanent magnet members, and the poles of said second spaced permanent magnet members are disposed adjacent like poles of said first mentioned spaced permanent magnet members whereby the fields of said spaced permanent magnet members are repelled and the field of said magnets are concentrated adjacent said disk.
 2. The magnetic separator recited in claim 1 wherein adjusting means is provided to move said space permanent magnet members toward and away from said disk. 